Teen SOYO hits the airwaves!

Teen SOYO Joins with OCN to Undertake Media Outreach for Teens

SOYO has joined with the Orthodox Christian Network (OCN) to offer a new podcast for Orthodox Christian teens and their peers.

The show, called Orthodox Teen Talk Online (OTTO), features a pan-Orthodox group of teens from around the country, who discuss real-life issues in an open and honest manner with at least one Orthodox priest. One of the unique characteristics of the show is that the teens themselves develop the topics for discussion, contribute their own opinions and share their own life experiences related to the discussion. This allows Orthodox young people to find their own voice and develop their own Orthodox Christian response to some of the most pressing issues of the day.

"The young people of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America are deeply committed to living the Orthodox Faith in Christ daily," V. Rev. Dr. Joseph Purpura, Chairman of Department of Youth Ministry, said. "It is with joy that our young people join with OCN and other Orthodox teens in expressing their Orthodox Christian Faith and its profound effect on their daily choices."

OTTO is a collaborative effort of the Antiochian Youth Department, NAC Teen SOYO, OCN and the Youth Department of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. Several episodes of OTTO have already been recorded.

In the first SOYO episode, Fr. Antony Bahou spoke with several officers of the NAC Teen SOYO, including Christopher Shadid and Amanda Sahawneh, about the sanctity of life and how Orthodox teens respond to related issues, such as abortion, stem cell research and euthanasia.

Future episodes of OTTO will examine dating, sex, peer pressure and the place of faith in school. All episodes will be available for download on the Web site of the Orthodox Christian Network (www.MyOCN.net[2]) and, soon, as a syndicated podcast. It will also stream live on The Ark, one of OCN's Internet radio stations, at 4 p.m. EST on this Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.